K+P vs. K: Occupying the squares ahead of the pawn [FEN "4k3/8/4K3/4P3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]{ In most king-plus-pawn vs. king endings, the strong side wins when the king can move in front of the pawn (rook pawns excepted). <sub><em>[#]Click or tap on a move in the game text for a popout display board.</em></sub></br> When the king’s on the sixth rank ahead of the pawn, it’s always a win. White to move: </br>} 1. Kd6 Kd8 2. e6 Ke8 3. e7 Kf7 4. Kd7 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "4k3/8/4K3/4P3/8/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]{[#]Black to move:</br>} 1... Kd8 2. Kf7 Kd7 3. e6+ Kd6 4. e7 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "8/4k3/8/4K3/4P3/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]{ When the strong side’s king is on ranks 3-5, the player with the pawn needs that “opposition” king position with the defending side to move. [#] If the defender “has the opposition”, it’s a draw:</br>} 1. Kd5 Kd7 2. e5 Ke7 3. e6 Ke8 4. Kd6 Kd8 5. e7+ Ke8 6. Ke6 1/2-1/2 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "8/4k3/8/4K3/4P3/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]{ With Black to move, White owns the opposition, and wins:[#]} 1... Ke8 {</br>}(1... Kf8 2. Kf6 Ke8 3. Ke6 Kd8 4. Kf7 Kd7 5. e5 $18{</br>}) 2. Ke6 $1 Kd8 3. Kf7 Kd7 4. e5 Kd8 5. e6 Kc7 6. e7 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "8/4k3/8/4K3/8/8/4P3/8 w - - 0 1"]{ If the pawn is on the second rank, its first-move ability enables White to assume the opposition in a case like this. White to move:[#]} 1. e4 $1 Kd7 2. Kf6 Kd6 3. e5+ Kd7 4. Kf7 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "8/4k3/8/4K3/8/8/4P3/8 b - - 0 1"]{ Black to move: [#]} 1... Kd7 2. e3 $1 ({</br> }2. Kf6 { also does the trick, for the principle of “critical squares” (TK) : } 2... Kd6 3. e4 Kd7 4. e5 Ke8 5. e6 $18{</br>}) 2... Ke7 3. e4 Kd7 4. Kf6 Ke8 5. Ke6 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization. [FEN "4k3/8/8/8/8/8/4P3/4K3 w - - 0 1"]{ This composition was almost surely the work of a mid-1700’s Italian master: [#]} 1. Kd2 $1 ({</br> Moving to the front of pawn. Pawn advances enable Black to achieve the draw: }1. e4 $4 Ke7 2. Ke2 (2. Kd2 Ke6 3. Kc3 Ke5 4. Kd3 Ke6 5. Kd4 Kd6 $10 ) 2... Ke6 3. Ke3 Ke5 $10{</br>}) ({</br> Also: }1. e3 $4 Ke7 2. Kd2 Ke6 3. Kd3 Kd5 4. e4+ Ke5 5. Ke3 $10{</br>}) 1... Ke7 2. Ke3 $1 Ke6 ({</br> }2... Kd6 3. Ke4 Ke6 4. e3 $1 { seizes the opposition.} $18 {</br>}) 3. Ke4 Kd7 4. Kf5 Kd6 5. e4 Ke7 6. Ke5 Kf7 7. Kd6 $18 Ke8 8. Ke6 $18 * You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
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